When my family first started out on our summer of being tourists in our hometown, we did not expect the unexpected, and yet that is what we got at every turn. I’m not sure why most of us think our own city is not as exciting as far off destinations, but when you stop and look at your city with the eyes of a visitor, you begin to realize you’ve taken a lot for granted. Our last excursion took us to Calypso Waterpark and I have to tell you, I am living with a world of regret right now. Primarily that my family has not spent way more time there.
When word of Calypso first came out, I was skeptical. It takes a lot to impress me, because I’ve seen some pretty nice theme parks. When words like “biggest” and “best” were thrown around, I rolled my eyes. I admit it. I really didn’t think it would be as great as it was. Again, why would something so great be in my hometown? I was wrong. Very, very wrong. Calypso is the “biggest” and the “best” waterpark in Canada. In fact, it was recently named the WORLD’s best waterpark by MSN Travel. Pretty cool, huh?
The first thing that strikes you when you walk into Calypso is the size. Situated on 100 acres just outside of Ottawa, you can’t help but be impressed by the enormity of this park. It’s absolutely huge and I suspect that’s because there are expansion plans in the works. You get the feeling they’re not willing to rest on their laurels here. When you come out in your first year as the biggest and best, chances are you have a competitive nature. That’s a good thing for visitors to Calypso.
What I loved most about Calypso was that it had something for everyone. I have been blessed with one daredevil and one not-so-daring child. That means I need a place that will make everyone happy. I’m happy to report that there were no tears, no screams of “there’s not enough for me to do” and definitely no “I’m bored”. If you ask me this marks the true success of a park.
When we arrived, the first thing we did was the wave pool. The daredevil headed into stormier waters with her father, while I hung back in the gentler waves with the more cautious one. Then I ran over and did the Zoomerang with the daring, while my husband enjoyed the Pirates’s Aquaplay. We all had a blast on the Jungle Run River, an incredibly huge lazy river that evoked “Again, again” from our kids every single time we hit the exit. Finally, my husband went on the Aqualoop, a waterslide that takes you from 0 to 2.5 Gs in under 2 seconds. The girls and I stood at the bottom with our jaws on the ground as person after person came whizzing down this insanely intense ride. This is definitely for the thrill-seekers only.
We didn’t get to do everything we wanted on our visit, there was simply too much to do. We can’t wait for next year though. I love the huge picnic areas for families that Calypso has provided, nice shaded areas where you can hang out and catch your breath. My husband is excited about the new campground opening up. The girls can’t wait to see what rides they add next. I’m thinking a Season’s Pass is in order for this family. Hope we see you there!
Check out some of our pictures from our fantastic day at Calypso Waterpark!
Nevermind the two cute kids at the forefront, check out the size of the slides behind them!!!
The cautious one hangs out on the edge of the wave pool
Canada's largest wave pool. And it's heated. *Happy Claps*
My husband coming off of Aqualoops. This expression was on a lot of people's faces :)
Chilling out on the Jungle Run River
Finally, Calypso has posted some great videos on YouTube of some of their rides. Get your kids excited for your visit by sharing some of these with them.
Thanks to Ottawa Tourism for giving us the opportunity to visit the amazing
Calypso Waterpark!
Printer-friendly version